How to Play Artifact to Become the Best

There are some things to consider before you dwell deep in the mechanics of this game. Do not worry though; anyone is capable of learning How to Play Artifact. If you have some experience in other Trading Card Games (TCG), this training process may be more straightforward for you. But if this is not the case, the learning process may take a little more time, but hey, everyone is capable of mastering Artifact and participate in tournaments if they so desire.

Every game has its mechanics to get used to, especially the TCG genre. In Artifact, It may look a little bit intimidating with that huge board that splits into three parts. But once you get to see some gameplay, you’ll know that every part of the board plays somehow similar; and that you only need to master one section to understand the other two.

In this guide, we’ll focus on the tools that the game delivers that can help you understand how it works. Plus, we get to explain the different mechanics between Constructed and Draft modes.

Is the tutorial essential?

It is, especially in a “virtual” TCG where the gaming board contains rules or effects that are impossible to emulate in a real table top. In Artifact, this tutorial blends with the two decks that you get when you purchase the game. Between the demonstration of the mechanics of the game, you’ll be able to see what cards those two decks contain, and how they interact on the board. At the same time, you’ll get a little bit familiar with the different card colors. In the first two games, you may start to have an idea of the distinctive characteristics these colors have.

Besides the colors, take a few minutes to learn the different attributes of Heroes, Creeps, Spells, Improvements, and Items.

What other options are there to learn this game?

Of course, besides the initial tutorial, you still have more options to learn more about Artifact. One of these options is to go in solo play/bot match. In this particular option, you can choose what deck you want to try and which one you can give to the Artificial Intelligence. You don’t have to worry that much about mistakes or missed opportunities; the computer won’t judge your gameplay at all. This mode also has the option to change the difficulty of the AI, if you feel that it becomes too easy to win. Later on, you can still pick this option to try new deck ideas before battling against another human player.

The second option is to search online for streams; there are different options on Twitch with different languages and playstyles. At this point, there are lots of pro players that take a little more time to explain various aspects of the game. You can even ask questions on Twitch Chat if you got a bit confused about everything that is happening on your screen.

What is the difference between constructed and the draft modes?

Now that you took some time fighting against the AI, there are two great ways to continue your journey in the Artifact game.

Constructed Mode

The first one we can talk about is the Constructed mode. In this approach, you build a deck with some of the cards you have in your collection. You choose what combination you want by picking the colors, heroes and the rest of the components. There are lots of suggestions over the Internet, but you’re free to try anything that crosses your mind. Who knows, maybe you accidentally build a powerful deck that can win you some tournaments. The more time you share with this mode, the more you’ll be able to discover what colors adapt more to your gameplay style, and what heroes bring more opportunities to you.

Draft Mode

On the other hand, the Draft mode is enjoyable in every way. For this mode, you don’t use your card collection at all. When you click “play,” you enter in a different screen where a new booster pack automatically reveals its contents. The trick though, is that you can only pick two cards from that group. After you pass through five booster packs, you can create a new deck with the choices that you made. If you were lucky, some of the cards that you got might help you win some matches.

Do you need a lot of cards to be good at Constructed?

Honestly, you don’t need a great collection to win lots of matches in Constructed. To get your winning chances higher, you’ll need to build one of the top decks. If you don’t have the all the cards required for a possible right combination you’ll want, look for them in the Steam Market. After you feel comfortable with your mighty deck, you may try to win a couple of booster packs in the Expert Constructed Mode.

Once your collection grows, you can opt to try different decks that may cross your mind. See what different mechanics the Artifact game has to offer and become a master in Constructed.

How can I improve my drafting abilities?

The most obvious way is to have a lot of knowledge in the capabilities of the best cards. Whenever you see a powerful card in one of the booster packs, don’t hesitate, grab it. Another advice is to concentrate on three colors when you’re drafting and take two of those colors when you’re building the deck. Lastly, don’t worry if the first hero you see isn’t convincing enough, pick different cards instead. You may have a better option in the next group of cards.

Keep playing this mode until you master it, its free on the Casual tab.

Practice makes Perfect

Whether you’re a Constructed or Drafting player, you can always have lots of fun in either mode. By now you’ll probably know How to Play Artifact and what it takes to get better. The game is still “young,” and it only has one expansion available, but as time goes by, Artifact may become even more complicated. At the moment, focus on the core mechanics of the game. When everything is clear, you’ll be able to master anything else that this game gets to deliver.